Another Blow for Wichita: Boeing’s Departure

Stephen Pope

Friday, January 06, 2012 at 12:15 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

Boeing announced it will close its Wichita defense site next year, resulting in the elimination of positions for over 2,000 workers.
The company stated the closure is to reduce costs, increase efficiencies, and drive competitiveness in preparation for expected defense spending cuts.
Work previously designated for Wichita, including KC-46 tanker completion, will be moved to Boeing facilities in Washington, Texas, and Oklahoma.
This decision reverses Boeing's earlier plans to make Wichita the completion facility for the next-generation tankers, which was projected to create 7,500 jobs in Kansas.

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Just when the city’s staggering job losses appeared at an end, Boeing on Wednesday announced plans to close its Wichita defense site next year and move tanker work that would have been performed there to Washington state. The decision will mean the elimination of positions for more than 2,000 workers.

The company had said in November that it was “evaluating” the future of its Wichita facility due to anticipated military spending cuts. It met with its employees in Wichita on Wednesday morning to confirm the factory’s closure.